Deterioration

This poem is about procrastination, and how things fall apart during periods of deep depression.

Unfinished.

Lines of procrastination frame my bedroom

in the corners where I peeled off the painter's tape

         days ago. Lines of white around flat blue.

A mangled light socket, gutted wires.

Depression hangs thick in the kitchen

    where old fan blades stir quiet air.

Drywall fastened against the studs,

    rows of screws still exposed,

    tries to conceal something older,

                            falling apart.

Broken toy firetruck, toy ladder, toy soldier

    bungled, silent, and still

    beneath the kitchen fan.

Silence. All the way through the walls.

The bare walls of my house

    become null;

The silenced curtains,

     stripped from their windows,

     crumpled            butchered

     on my hardwood floors.

Tomorrow I will fix this.

Reviews

[jacob erin-cilberto]

this is really deep...i see the procrastination---

but here i also see someone who has been left by someone else...and just feels lethargic..so lethargic he can't motivate himself to get back into life.

he longs to but just can't get himself started...it is the old "tomorrow is another day" thing..

wonderfully written.

jacob

[spiritwind]

Oh, this was a heart full of reconstruction
taking on the battered vulnerable sad defenselessness
of a home taken down to its bones
the sheetrock up and taped
look like ribs
Totally love this poem.
Not a misstep anywhere.

[KAOlmsted]

It's funny how for years I never saw my own depression and yet it faced me every day in the form of procrastination...I'm better today, but only just. This really hit home for me. Excellent write, JWD.

-kimmer

[Lushan]

It reads eloquently. It's saying everything and making me feel the pathos.

[G!o]

Beautiful description, totally amazing way of speaking of depression. I love how you know how to enslave your words and out of something simple you create such a magnificent poem...the silenced curtains...lovely and good writing Dyer.

[Victoria PoetryBunny]

I really like how you use the items and things needing to be fixed around the house as a image of procrastination and life. Nice how you used depression with procrastination.

[Pax]

something stuck in my head that can't be manipulate...i guess tomorrow i will fix it... :)
depression really stuck us in a limbo of thoughts and seeing thing more around us..
the great way stay away to depression...or so i guess...
Great work!

[Baby Ricochet]

This is actually really cool. Great write

[Steven]

Yeah, nice write. Being a GC I have a personal, daily connection to this. In my case, if I procrastinate I don't eat, so.. It is amazing though, how depression can literally suck the energy out of your bones. It hurts to do anything. I felt you captured that well.

[Pearlie]

Very deep poem, I love your use of language and structure. Good work!